ROAD UPDATE: Blowing, drifting snow closing roads, causing crashes

Wednesday

Jan 29, 2014 at 12:19 PMJan 29, 2014 at 12:19 PM

By Jim.Hayden@hollandsentinel.com(616) 546-4274

The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office is advising motorists to turn on their headlights if they are on the roads today as blowing and drifting snow cause accidents throughout the area.Many slide-offs are being reported on U.S. 131 between Wayland and Kent County due to blowing and drifting snow.Southbound I-196 at mile marker 42 north of Saugatuck has a blocked lane due to a crash, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.Numerous crashes and slide-offs are being reported along I-196 near Hudsonville and on local roads.The intersections at 58th Street and 136th Avenue and 58th Street at 139th Avenue are closed due to drifting snow. The Allegan County Road Commission is working to open the roads.“The problem is not new snow but the existing snow being blown around which is creating drifts and white-out conditions,” said Capt. Frank Baker of the sheriff’s office.Winds are at 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph at the West Michigan Regional Airport in Holland.Motorists should not use private vehicles with tow traps to remove vehicles that have slid off the road, he said, because the vehicles do not have proper lighting for safety.